Eze Ojinnaka, 62 others receive staff of office.

History was today Saturday 22 March 2025 made in Imo State as the royal father of Umuaka Ancient Kingdom HRM Eze Henry Izuchukwu Ojinnaka was confirmed by Imo State Government as he and 62 other royal fathers in the state received their prestigious staff of office from the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma respectively.

The historic event which attracted a good number of Imo royal fathers, their deputies and top government officials as well as high profile chiefs was held at the Government House Owerri.

Around 9 o’clock in the morning, many guests expected at the event started to arrive little by little. The youthful royal father of Umuaka, HRM Eze Henry Ojinnaka arrived in the company of his entourage and some members of Uba Umuaka Council of Chiefs. The moment the young monarch arrived at the event centre, the atmosphere of the event automatically changed into what the late Bob Marley would describe as “positive vibration”. A member of the audience who witnessed the atmospheric change described Eze Ojinnaka as “a man marked for kingship by God.”

After the usual Igbo traditional rituals and ceremonies, one after the other the royal fathers received their staff of office from the Imo governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma. Eze Ojinnaka was number 20 among the 63 other royal fathers.

From the official documents Umuaka Times came across, the number of royal fathers who were billed to receive their staff of office in the yesterday’s event was 66 but only 63 made it to the event. No official communiqué was received from the autonomous communities that were absent during the event.

After the presentation of the staff of office to HRM Eze Ojinnaka, the royal father and his entourage made it back to the royal palace of the new and youthful king in Uba Umuaka. At the palace, many princes and princesses in the Ojinnaka royal family and many others from the community were already waiting to receive the new king of the people. On arrival, the royal father used the opportunity and made his first speech of the year to his subjects. Full of smiles and joy, Eze Ojinnaka greeted the evening gathering who had come to welcome him back to his palace. According to the Eze, the moment he stepped his feet on the soil of Ojinnaka royal family, he went to the backyard to show the authoritative staff of office to his father, the late Eze Aloysius Ojinnaka.

Hear Eze Ojinnaka in his own words: “We are back to our Obi. If you observed when I came back, I went to the backyard to inform my dad that I have got the staff of office today. We thank God for today. I have shown my dad the staff of office and he told me to continue my journey.” Immediately the king made this significant statement, the gathering followed it with a long ovation and claps.

Narrating how the whole trip went, HRM disclosed that his arrival to Nigeria was a hand work of God. “We were given just three days’ notice and I managed and arrived home safely and on time.”

Perhaps the most important and impactful part of the speech by the king was when he said that “This rulership is for all of us. “We will jointly rule Umuaka and make Umuaka great.”

Meanwhile the moment the news of the presentation of the staff of office to Eze Ojinnaka was announced, the social media in Njaba LGA literally went on fire! Uncountable number of Akalites and their friends flooded the social media with congratulatory messages to welcome the new king on the “bloc”.

From all indications, it is now a new dawn for the new king and his people of Umuaka. A new era with fresh hopes, optimism and programs has just begun in Uba Umuaka otherwise known as Umuaka Ancient Kingdom Autonomous Community.

What a day in the life of a nation!